Syndicate

ARCADIA, Calif. (Oct. 2, 2009) – Improving filly Irish Gypsy provided Garrett Gomez, the nation’s leading money-winning jockey the last three years, with his first win of the young Oak Tree meeting on Friday when posting a 5-1 upset in the featured $45,400 allowance event for fillies and mares at 6 ½ furlongs.

Irish Gypsy rallied from next-to-last in the field of six to overtake pace-setter Sleep Tight and score by one length while the latter nosed out 11-10 choice Mona de Momma for the place. The final time was 1:16.37.

A daughter of Hennessy trained by Bob Baffert for Mike Pegram and Hill n Dale Equine Holdings, Irish Gypsy was ridden for the first time by Gomez, who had been winless with his first six mounts at the meet that opened Wednesday.

Purchased for $120,000 as a yearling, the 3-year-old Irish Gypsy, a Kentucky-bred who is out of the Relaunch mare Rayelle, gained her third win in her last six races while bringing her overall record to 3-1-1 in eight starts. The winning purse of $27,000 elevated her earnings to $108,940.